EBOLA OUTBREAK IN UGANDA

EBOLA OUTBREAK IN UGANDA
National Task Force Situation Report (Sitrep No 4) as at 08.00 Hrs; May 19th
2011

One new suspect case was reported in Bombo General Military Hospital in a 5
year old male from Ngalonkalu village, Zirobwe sub-county; she presented on
18TH May 2011, with two day history of high grade fever associated with head
ache, vomiting, general body pains, and bloody diarrhea. The patient has been
isolated and a sample retrieved for laboratory investigation.
• There are four suspect cases currently admitted in Bombo General Military
hospital and they are all reported to be improving on treatment. Three of them
have tested negative for Ebola by PCR and ELISA Antigen testing.

• Three of the contacts to the putative index patient developed a fever and two of
them are isolated while the third contact, a child with remote exposure was not
isolated since his fever had subsided following treatment with antimalarials. One
of the contacts (a health worker) that was earlier on reported to have travelled to
Kyengera was yesterday [18th May 2011] picked up from Kamuli in Kireka and has since been isolated. The two contacts among health workers have tested
negative for Ebola by PCR and ELISA antigen testing.

• The national rapid response team is on the way to Bugiri hospital to investigate
the suspect case reported there as well as support the hospital team to observe
the recommended infection control standards.

• The putative index patient was a 12 year old female from Nakisamata village,
Ngalonkalu Parish, Zirobwe sub-county, Luwero district who passed away on 6th
May 2011 following a febrile hemorrhagic illness that lasted six days. Laboratory
investigations done through both real time PCR testing and Antigen detection by
ELISA confirmed Sudan Ebola virus (SEBOV).
Contact Tracing

• 25 contacts were listed for monitoring in Luwero; 12 in Bombo General Military
Hospital; 3 in Kisakye clinic, Zirobwe Town; 9 in Nakisamata village, Zirobwe
sub-county; and 1 in Negulumye village, Wakiso district. There currently 22 of
them under follow-up since three contacts have since developed fever.

• All the 22 contacts were followed up yesterday (18th May 2011) and none of them
had developed fever or illness consistent with suspect Ebola.

• All the three contacts who developed fever previously have tested negative for
Ebola by PCR and ELISA antigen testing.
Specimen collection

• 11 blood samples have been obtained for Ebola testing.

• Only one 9% (1/11) sample has tested positive for Sudan Ebola virus (SEBOV)
through both real time PCR testing and Antigen detection by ELISA.

• All these samples have been tested at Uganda Virus Institute, Entebbe and
aliquots have been shipped to CDC Atlanta, USA.
Continued investigation (ecological)

• A team from CDC team arrived on 17th May 2011 from Atlanta and traveled to
the Ngalonkalu Parish (Nakisamatta village) on 18th May 2011. The team set up
their equipment and captured 61 bats. They processed the bats onsite and will
return today [19th May 2011] to trap more. The specimens will be processed at
UVRI and results are expected in the next few weeks.
Continued surveillance

• All the listed contacts are being monitored on a daily basis to ensure that they
are isolated as soon as they manifest with symptoms.

• All the districts on the contact pathway have been put on high alert

• Surveillance tools based on Ebola experience have been adapted and will be
distributed to all affected districts starting today [19th May 2011]. These are:
Case definitions, Case reporting forms and contact tracing sheets and follow up..
forms.